Psalm 23 -- A Psalm of David

I spent a few minutes this morning reading the 23rd psalm from the Hebrew Bible and a commentary on the text from Walter Brueggmann and William H. Bellinger Jr from their book on the topic.

The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not want.

He makes me lie down in green pastures;

he leads me beside still waters;

he restores my soul.

He leads me in right paths

for his name's sake.

Even though I walk through the darkest valley,

I fear no evil;

for you are with me;

your rod and  your staff --

they comfort me.

You prepare a table before me

in the presence of my enemies;

you annoint my head with oil;

my cup overflows.

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me

all the days of my life,

and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD my whole life long. 

(I was unable to tell whether the translation was that of the authors or someone else by looking at the book.)

Allow me to quote a bit of Brueggemann and Bellinger's commentary on the poem:

The sense of the entire psalm is that of a calm assurance and abiding trust, all the while alert to the reality of threat that is kept in check by the faithful God. The poem is a clear statement of  how the God of Israel functions decisively to counter all circumstances. It is this faith that permits Paul to assert:

If God is for us,

who is against us?

(Rom 8:31)

And the vigorous answer of faith is: nobody of any consequence is against us! (kindle location: 3479-3548)